County of tower: Audrain County
Location of tower: Jefferson St. & Walnut St., Martinsburg
Big Black letter across the common ball of the reservoir is the city's name.
MARTINSBURG
"A town in Loutre Township, laid out in November 21, 1857, and named for William Russell Martin, a Kentuckian, who settled in the county in 1851. The station previously was known as Hudson City, named by Martin for a friend, a traveling clockmaker, who was well liked in the community. He was quite a philosopher. The name was changed to honor the donor of the town site. Early spelling varies with Martinsburgh." ~
History of Northeast Missouri, Vil I, page 227; Plat Book 1
"Wm. H. and Jackson H. Bane were proprietors of the Martinsburgh elevator and corn sheller. Chas. E. Burchard was railroad agent. J. W. Douglas & Co., dealers in general merchandise; Patrick H. Gantt and John E. Fish, composing the first of Gantt & Fish, dealers in general merchandise; Oscar Krueger, dealer in general merchandise; Joseph S. Munster, carpenter and undertaker; J. R. Toneyson, blacksmith and wheel-wright." ~ History of Audrain County, pages 621, 630, 656, 659, 666.
"It had a church, school, picture frame factory, bank, newspaper the "Success", hotel, and about fifteen other business places, including stores, shops, etc. There were also coal mines in the vicinity. Population, 1899 (estimated) 300." ~ Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, 1901, Conard, Vol. 4, page 210.
"Martinsburgh...on the St. L. K. C. & N. R. W. (now Wabash) 14 miles southeast of Mexico, had a population of about 500. It had 1 church, 1 school-house, 6 stores and a cheese factory." ~ Campbell's Gazetteer of Missouri, Campbell, 1874, page 49.
"It is situated in southeast corner of the county on Sec. 24, Twp. 50 N, R. 7 W at the junction of V, N & 19.
'It was laid out in January, 1859, by William R. Martin and named in his honor. He was a native of Kentucky and settled near the town site in 1854." How MO Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named, Eaton, First Article, p. 204.